Join us in the Daniel Fast – January 2-23

We want to welcome you to join us in a corporate Daniel Fast January 2nd – 23rd (21 Days).

Daniel 10:2,3, “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.”

The exact specifics of a Daniel Fast are not as important as you may think. It is more about abstaining from some foods (meat, sweets, some fast certain breads, whatever you feel is important to abstain from) but more importantly it is a time of prayer and consecration.

Fasting Made Simple:

1. So you’ve been thinking about fasting?
2. What is your motive?
3. Are you fasting regarding a specific issue?
4. Is it for spiritual enrichment? For health benefits?
5. I’ve got good news! Fasting is biblical and fasting is effective . . . but fasting also requires discipline.

Here is what fasting is for those who don’t really understand: Fasting is denying your your “flesh.” Biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose.

Some of us have heard or read that a periodic fast is a great way to cleanse our body of impurities and toxins and let our digestive system rest, which may or may not have any spiritual connections with it. Others think of fasting as a severe spiritual discipline practiced by religions even outside Christianity.

Interesting little historical facts regarding fasting:

Presidents Madison, Lincoln, and Wilson approved national days of prayer and fasting during wartime.

In 1756, the King of Britain called for a day of solemn prayer and fasting because of the possible invasion of France, concerning which John Wesley, the great founder of the Methodist church, wrote in his journal: “The fast day was a glorious day, such as London has scarce seen since the restoration. There was a solemn seriousness on every face. Surely God heareth prayer.”

Jesus believed in fasting and practiced fasting as was mightily demonstrated in His 40-day wilderness temptation (Matthew 4:1–2). He provided specific instructions on fasting, He started by saying “when you fast,” not “if you fast” (Matthew 6:17).

It is clear that Jesus expected His followers to incorporate fasting into their daily lives. But the reality is that for most of us, fasting is not even on our radar.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION SO YOU DON’T MISS OUT! Fasting is your secret source of power… and fasting also brings a measure of self-control into our life; and through fasting we come face to face with our own personal need for the strength of will required to grow spiritual muscles.

Derek Prince offers this remarkable insight: Derek Prince was a firm believer in the POWER of fasting, when done properly! Here is a quote from him on fasting: “Fasting is a tremendous lesson in establishing who is the master and who is the servant. Remember, your body is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.”

There are 4 basic kinds of fasts in Word of God:

1. Normal Fast = going without food for a definite period, in which you ingest liquids (water or juice) only.
2. Absolute Fast = No food, no water at all.  Body can only do this three (3) days without supernatural intervention.  (Moses 40 days)
3. Partial Fast = omits certain foods or on a schedule that included limited eating.  May consist of omitting one meal a day; eating only vegetables, etc. (Elijah, at least two times, Daniel, John the Baptist)
4. Rational Fast = Eating or omitting certain families of foods for designated periods.  (E.g., grains every fourth day)

God gives reasons for biblical fasting in Isaiah:

1. To loose the bonds of wickedness (58:6).
2. To undo heavy burdens (58:6).
3. To free the oppressed and break the yoke of bondage (58:6).
4. To share food with the hungry (58:7).
5. To provide shelter for the poor (58:7).
6. To clothe the naked (58:7).
7. To provide for one’s family (58:7).

Biblical fasting must be a part of a total lifestyle of obeying God and loving others. If we fast with the right motives, God describes the amazing benefits of fasting:

1. Then your light shall break forth like the morning (58:8).
2. Your healing shall spring forth speedily (58:8).
3. Your righteousness shall go before you (58:8).
4. The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard (58:8).
5. You shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am” (58:9).
6. Your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday (58:10).
7. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones (58:11).
8. You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail (58:11).
9. You shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In (58:12).